I also have some venison (local) in stock that could be used instead of beef for something different!

--Ian

Ingredients (serves 4)

500 g minced beef

1 tbsp olive oil

2 stems of silverbeet, leaves and stalk coarsely chopped

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp coarsely chopped thyme, plus extra to serve

1 fresh bay leaf

1 cinnamon quill

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

Pinch of grated nutmeg

¾ cup red wine

2 400g cans chopped tomatoes

1 cup beef stock

8 swiss brown mushrooms or button mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 tbsp red wine vinegar, or to taste

400 g rigatoni

Finely grated parmesan and crusty bread, to serve

Method

Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add beef and brown well, breaking up with a wooden spoon. While you’re doing this, blitz the silverbeet stalks, carrot, onion, celery and garlic in a food processor, then stir into beef along with herbs and spices. Add wine, bring to the boil and reduce by half (1-2 minutes), then add tomatoes and stock, bring to the simmer and cook for about 15 TO 20 minutes until well-flavoured. Stir through silverbeet leaves and mushrooms in the last couple of minutes cooking along with vinegar.

Meanwhile, cook rigatoni in a large saucepan of generously salted boiling water until al dente, drain and toss through ragu. Serve hot scattered with parmesan and extra herbs and with crusty bread.